Light Pollution

Andy @ Allerton · June 11, 2007

Is enough being done by the UK to prevent and reduce this?

How many lights are burning needlessly - and without the obvious problem of the vast amount of energy this wastes - what about people that wish to see the skies?

As has been mentioned in Government discussions - Astronomy is the oldest science - it has been going on for 5,000 years or longer - but now this is gradually being eroded - especially in the UK - you only have to visit other countries to realise how ridiculously bad it is here in the UK. And its getting worse.

Compare the photos from 2000 with 2006 and the encroachment is incredible.

The weather doesn't help in the UK but the light pollution has got to such levels that there are no world class optical telescopes in the UK any longer - they have all been relocated to other countries

Apart from anything else, this is sad for kids of today - even in our childhood - in many places you could look up and see the night sky and the stuff up there is amazing - how long before its just not visible any more at all?

Should something be done?

I'd fully expect that 99% of the population couldn't give two figs about this - which would explain why the Government doesn't care less either.

Des · June 11, 2007

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